Encouraging your child to talk GOOD TECHNIQUES

Don’t Anticipate Your Child’s Needs or Wants:

Don’t anticipate your child’s every need or want before they have a chance to make them known to you.

Example: When you know your child wants a drink – instead of just handing them the drink, require them to request it (pointing, signing, or saying “drink”).

Sabotage the Environment:

Mess up routines so your child has to communicate his or her needs.

Example: During mealtime give everyone a spoon but “forget” to give your child a spoon. Wait and see if your child initiates they need something. If they don’t initiate what they need, help them by saying. “What do you need?” or “Are you missing something” or “Uh-oh!” Label the item before you give it to them.

Play “dumb” when your child points to a desired object.

Example: When your child points to the counter for their drink (or another desired object you know they want), say: “What do you want?” (pause) “A spoon?” (pause) “An apple?” (pause) “A drink?” …. “Oh, Drink!”

Parent Speech:

Use clear simple speech with your child during play routines. The goal is to talk in phrases you want your child to copy – 1 to 2 words.

Example: Instead of saying “Go down the hall and get your shoes” say “Get shoes”. When getting undressed use short phrases “Shoes off…shirt off…etc.”

Don’t do this all the time. Your child needs to hear normal phrases as well.

Echo-Expansion Modeling:

Add 1 or 2 words to what your child says when you respond back to him or her.

Example: When your child says “up” say “up… you want up”.

Self-Talk:

When your child is within hearing range, talk about what you are doing while you do it.

Example: When washing your hands at the sink say “wash hands”, when the phone is ringing say “I hear the phone”.

Parallel Talk:

When playing with your child, describe what your child is doing while they are doing it.

Example: When your child picks up a car – say “pick up car”. When your child drops a block – say “drop block”.

Describe what he is seeing and hearing.

Example: “That’s a ball”, When listening to music say “Music, listen to music”

Rigid Eaters

Sometimes kids find specific foods they like and are hesitant to try anything else. This can be trying for mom (who does not want chicken nuggets for dinner every day) and it can be nutritionally hazardous for a child. How can you get your child to branch out? What happens when they become entirely tied to a routine and will not bend?
Here is one idea that I have seen work, you might want to give it a try...
Expand on the familiar routine. Instead of taking a complete U-turn and really throwing your child stay with what he is comfortable with and add a little something new.
Example: "My child loves to eat mac-n-cheese for dinner. When I try something else he flings it on the floor or just spits it out if I put it in his mouth. Sometimes I can get him to eat spaghetti noodles or other starchy foods but he will only eat a little. He eats best when it is mac-n-cheese"
So to try my idea this parent could cook up a box of mac-n-cheese and give her son a little in a very small bowl next to whatever the family is eating for dinner. Then her son will have his staple favorite to help ease him into whatever the new food is. Mom is expanding by adding new foods next to his familiar mac-n-cheese.
Another way to expand...cook only the macaroni noodles and serve them with a new sauce...maybe Mom's homemade cheese sauce with pureed carrots or sweet potatoes added, maybe a new Alfredo sauce, whatever goes along best with what the family is eating.
One more idea: Mom could give her son macaroni noodles plain and let him dip them into several kinds of sauces (his favorite cheese sauce and others).
The whole idea is to show your child that his routine is ok and that adding new things doesn't have to replace his routine, instead they can compliment it. (This is not the end target of being a flexible eater but it is a good way to take a beginning step towards that goal)